Opinion

On this day in 1930, President Herbert Hoover signed Executive Order 5398, elevating what was then the Veterans Bureau to a federal administration, and creating the Veterans Administration — with the purpose to “consolidate and coordinate Government activities affecting war veterans.” This, the second consolidation of federal veterans programs, included the National Homes and the Bureau of Pensions of the Interior Department. These three component agencies became bureaus within the Veterans Administration.

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
The Department of Veterans Affairs announced it’s introducing a uniformed disability claims form to better serve veterans, Families and survivors.
Standardizing the process by which veterans file claims and initiate appeals will make it easier for veterans and their survivors to clearly state what benefits they are seeking from VA and provide information necessary to process their claims and appeals.

Tricare
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The goal is to raise awareness about the importance of early detection in treating breast cancer.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women. The Department of Health and Human Services estimates that about 1 in 8 women born in the U.S. today will get breast cancer at some point. It is important that all women, especially those with a higher risk of breast cancer, get screened and know when to start getting mammograms.

By YVONNE LEVARDI
Vantage Point
October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
That we need to dedicate a month to promoting awareness of this issue at all is tragic, but to ignore it is to look away from the thousands who are abused and need help.

News and Experts
Boomers may want to recall one of the poets they grew up reading, Dylan Thomas, and his most famous poem, named for its first line, “Do not go gentle into that good night,” a desperate appeal to resist the trappings of old age.
“As they retire, baby boomers need to stay true to their reputation for grand statements, and to mobilize their skill set in the business world,” said media expert Steve Kayser, author of “The Greatest Words You’ve Never Heard,” (www.stevekayser.com).

By KRISTI
Military OneSource’s Blog Brigade
I’m pretty sure that one of my teachers told me that there is no such thing as a stupid question. But it turns out that stupid questions are alive and well.
Any one of these questions or comments is cause enough for an eye roll followed by the classic, “Don’t get me started.”

By KATHY BAUMGARTEN
VAntage Blog
Maybe it was just a coincidence that my father bought a house near WWII veterans like himself; maybe there were so many of them that it couldn’t be avoided. However, none of that mattered to me as a child. What counted was the subtle influence those men had; it changed my life and I didn’t even know it.

By VICTORIA DAVEY
VAntage Point Blog
This winter, America is experiencing an early flu season with flu cases surging across the country. The Veterans Health Administration is responding vigorously to the nationwide outbreak to protect the health of all veterans and staff in the VA health system.
All of the VHA medical facilities around the country have flu prevention and treatment as one of our top priorities.

By KRISTIN SHIVES
Tricare Management Activity
Tricare beneficiaries should make time to get preventive health screenings starting in the new year.
All Tricare health plans offer preventive services at no cost. Beneficiaries can start the year off right by putting their health first.
Beneficiaries enrolled in Tricare Prime may receive clinical preventive services from their primary care manager or from any network provider without a referral or authorization at no cost.

By LAUREN BAILEY
VAntage Point
On Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released veteran unemployment data for the month of December. The unemployment rate for all veterans was 7 percent—still below the national average of 7.8 percent. For post-9/11 veterans, the rate was 10.8 percent. Most importantly, the annual jobless rate for post-9/11 vets was 9.9 percent in 2012; a significant drop from the annual average in 2011 of 12.1 percent.

By KEVIN DEAN
Veterans Certificate Coordinator
Many veterans think they experience culture shock when they make the transition from military to civilian life, but an even greater transitional shock is the one experienced when veterans enter college for the first time.
The most common advice comes in studying hard and managing your time well, but here are five overlooked adjustments from life as a veteran to life as an student.
College isn’t just about studying

By RICHARD RUDOLPH
Garrison Safety Office
Winter is less than two weeks away. It may seem like spring now but that can change in just a few short hours in Kentucky. If you were here in 2009, you know what I’m talking about: the ice storm. Hopefully we will not see anything like that again. Post was closed and driving was not something people wanted to do, unless it was an emergency, due to the snow and ice on the road ways.
Here are a few simple tips to help keep you safe when the weather takes a turn towards the worst.

News and Experts
It’s only appropriate that fantastical genres of storytelling are often geared toward preadolescents, said writer Elayne James.
“It’s an extremely impressionable time, with the wonder of childhood firmly established and a dramatic transformation about to take place,” said James, author of “Destiny’s Call,” the first installment of the fantasy series “The LightBridge Legacy,” www.lightbridgelegacy.com.

By BECKY PASKIEVOCH
VantagePoint
“The most wonderful time of the year” is upon us. Along with opportunities to spread joy, spend time with family, give thanks, and honor traditions, the holiday season frequently brings about situations that could lead to weight gain.

By NATHAN DEEN
The Bayonet
The 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning, Ga., combatives team surprised people at the 2011 U.S. Army Combatives Championship, but with a third-place finish, it won’t be flying under anyone’s radar, head coach and trainer Monte Massey said.
“We want to build off last year’s momentum,” Massey said. “We seemed to gather a lot of interest from the chain of command … because of our success.”

By SONJA BATTEN, PH.D
VAntage Blog
The strengths of veterans, their courage, determination, and camaraderie make them especially well equipped to work through and overcome the challenges that we all face in life. Leveraging these strengths and sharing their experiences with other veterans is at the heart of Make the Connection, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ campaign in service to veterans and their loved ones.

By ALEX HORTON
VAntage Point
When folks come back from war, it can seem that there aren’t many people that will understand the psychological impact of war and the process of reintegration. But veterans have increasingly turned to clergy members of all beliefs to help sort out the complex issues of life, death, and faith.

By LISA DANIEL
American Forces Press Service
As Missouri National Guard members met with Dr. Jill Biden last week to discuss their family challenges and areas of support, Jenn Whitacre’s feedback was both professional and personal.
As a National Guard family assistance center coordinator in Jefferson City, Whitacre spends her days helping Guard Families—pursuing job opportunities, finding childcare, arranging transportation, shoveling snow, and the like. As it turned out, Whitacre’s toughest challenge was her own.